# Hard Cider



## Auburnguy (Sep 21, 2014)

I am going to open a bottle of my hard cider tonight. It proofed high at 12.5% when I bottled it, but it had good flavor. I think it is going to be quite good again. So far I am 3 for 3 with my home brew. 
Anyone else make any beer, cider, or wine? 

I used 1 gallon of organic cider, 3 gr Safbrew t-58, 2 cups brown sugar as my start recipe.


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

Sounds great. Let us know how it is. I'd love to do this stuff but I just don't make time to get it started.


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## Auburnguy (Sep 21, 2014)

Scott W. said:


> Sounds great. Let us know how it is. I'd love to do this stuff but I just don't make time to get it started.


Really, it takes very little time and is quite easy. I started making it because my wife likes hard cider but didn't like anything 100%. She wanted a sweater more crisp cider, and I wanted it to have a kick. My last batch was the best I have made, so I followed the same recipe. It should be the same. If you want to know more about it, I can give the insight I have. I have only been making cider for a year but I haven't made a bad brew yet. Fingers crossed.


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I'd probably save a ton as my wife and sister in law like the ciders and at 8.99 per sixer, there's gotta be a better way.
Please share what you can. Maybe a thread in the food/drink section with some pics. I'm sure a lot of people would enjoy that.


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## Auburnguy (Sep 21, 2014)

Scott W. said:


> I'd probably save a ton as my wife and sister in law like the ciders and at 8.99 per sixer, there's gotta be a better way.
> Please share what you can. Maybe a thread in the food/drink section with some pics. I'm sure a lot of people would enjoy that.


Here you go. 
Cider

I can just add instruction here. Super easy.

Ingredients: 1 gallon of cider(In a glass jug and one gallon to drink so you have 2 jugs  , make sure it has 0 preservatives in it!) or more if you have a carboy, 3g of yeast I use Safbrew t-58 in a pink/red packet, 2 cups of brown sugar (dark if possible), one air lock.

Pour out a cup into a mixing bowl
Pour out a second cup into a drinking cup. Drink the cider (no need to waist 
Add 3g of yeast to the mixing bowl cider. This will jump start the yeast. If you can warm the cider up a tad maybe 20 seconds in the microwave it helps. 
Add 1-2 cups of brown sugar to the gallon of cider. The more sugar you add the higher the alcohol content in the finish product. 
Add cider/yeast cup to gallon. 
At this point you can take a starting Gravity with a hydrometer. Write this down. To get final abv you need a start and end gravity. Use a calculator and poof, your abv. This is the only big tool you need. $5-$7 on Amazon. 
Ok. Place air lock on with correct amount of water in it to allow bubbles to pass. 
Place cider in a cool dark spot for 2-5 weeks until bubbling slows or until you can't take it anymore and you have to have cider. I go 3 weeks then rack the cider. (Racking-taking liquid but leaving the yeast and sediment in the bottom. You will want to leave syphon 1" or more above sediment. Just place this cider in a second glass jug same size if possible. This is the second stage.)

Second stage: same as first, let it sit for another week or so, and then rack into a third and final jar or first jar leaving sediment.

Third stage: place cider into the fridge to kill yeast I let it sit in the fridge for 72 hours. Rack it into a pourable container, leaving sediment in the bottom of glass jug. Take your end gravity here and use an online calculator for proof. After it has sat in fridge I back sweeten using Apple concentrate frozen. I use 1/2 can organic if you can find it. Add as much as you want for taste. You can buy Apple extract if you want. I haven't tried it, but that is because it is expensive and hard to come by unless you order online. Once you add the concentrate or extract it technically changes your proof slightly. Not enough to worry about. Remember, your not selling this so it doesn't have to be exact.

Ok. Now your ready to bottle. You have several options but I prefer EZ cap bottles. $20 for 12 from local brew shop and they are reusable many many times.

I place 1/2 tsb of priming sugar(adds fizz or carbonation) per 16 ounces and 1/2 tsb of truvia. DO NOT USE SUGAR! If you use any sugar like white, brown, or honey. If there is any residual yeast that did not die, it will restart fermentation process. I use truvia, you could use stevia or sweet n low. Feel free to take a quick taste test. Add sweetener or more concentrate if you want. Pour cider into bottle leaving a little room from the mouth of the bottle. Like 1" should be plenty. It will become carbonated with time. Your cider is completely drinkable, but I let mine sit for at least 7 days to add carbonation. If you want more carbonation add a little bit more priming sugar to the next bottles and wait a week. It will keep in your fridge for 6 months plus, but it won't last that long. I have people come over just to try my cider.

I am waiting on 12 gallons to make a large batch and make some apple wine.

Please note, this is the simpler way to make hard cider. You can make it as complicated as you want. Buy all the gadgets you want, but don't over think it. Do the first batch on the cheap and make sure you like it. Yes you can add tabs to kill any wild yeast and use special bottle cleaners and all the Jazz, but I use the KISS method. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

While fermenting the cider may let off some odor, so place it someplace it won't offend someone. My wife makes me put it in the basement. Feel free to ask questions, I will answer the best I can. Feel free to substitute brown sugar with honey for a great experience. Add spice such as cinnamon, or clove for a change. Makes a nice fall drink


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

I actually might try this. Thank you!


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## MeterMaid (Aug 26, 2014)

Does it taste anything like the store bought ciders? I just can't stomach them for some reason!


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## Auburnguy (Sep 21, 2014)

It starts like woodchuck Amber and finishes like nothing store bought. It doesn't give me heartburn or acid reflux.


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## gtechva (Mar 9, 2014)

Most of the ciders have a musky taste. I prefer a crisp, tart taste. Any idea on what makes the difference?


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## Auburnguy (Sep 21, 2014)

Spices can make it musky. The type of yeast that you use will make a difference as well. If you want a more crisp taste, you can use an English Cider yeast or a champagne yeast. I have found that the longer I let my stuff ferment the more musky the flavor. If you do a quick 2 week first fermentation, 1 week Second, 1 week in the bottle. Start to finish one month and it is a solid cider. I add the frozen Apple concentrate to give the cider more Apple flavor and it balances out the over all taste. I need to buy some apple extract and try that out. That way I can be more exact on my abv.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

I make tons of cider. I can proudly say Ive had my Zombie Killer clone recipe medal at comp and also commercially sold my Apple Pie Cider... Im an assistant brewmaster. Currently have 6 gal of Pumpkin Pie fermenting away that will be right in time for fall. I prefer Nottingham over other strains of yeast I've tried though. Always clean, cheap, flocculent, and aggressive. Some of my other well received versions are honey peach, mango, apple/pear. Ive been trying to work on a honey ginger version but I haven't quite got it right yet.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Auburnguy said:


> Spices can make it musky. The type of yeast that you use will make a difference as well. If you want a more crisp taste, you can use an English Cider yeast or a champagne yeast. I have found that the longer I let my stuff ferment the more musky the flavor. If you do a quick 2 week first fermentation, 1 week Second, 1 week in the bottle. Start to finish one month and it is a solid cider. I add the frozen Apple concentrate to give the cider more Apple flavor and it balances out the over all taste. I need to buy some apple extract and try that out. That way I can be more exact on my abv.


I suggest using honey instead of apple extract if you haven't tried it yet. The honey really helps make the apple flavor stand out. Also you can be more exact with your abv by using the formula below. You just input the volume of cider in place of volume of liquor.

(volume of liquor x alcohol by volume/total cocktail volume) x 100


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